The present invention relates to an elevator for large loads, consisting of an elevator car and a counterweight, wherein the elevator car, which is movable along guide rails, is connected with the counterweight, which is movable along guide rails, by means of a cable guided over a drive pulley and the cable is led from a first cable fixing point to a first deflecting roller of the counterweight, further to a first deflecting roller, further to a second deflecting roller of the counterweight, further to the drive pulley drivable by means of a drive unit, further from the drive pulley to a first deflecting roller pair arranged below the elevator car, further to a second deflecting roller, further to a second deflecting roller pair arranged below the elevator car and further to a second cable fixing point.
Elevator equipment with an elevator car and a counterweight is shown the PCT published specification WO 99/43593, wherein the elevator car is connected with the counterweight by means of a cable guided over a drive pulley. A 4:1 cable guidance with under-looping of the elevator car is provided, wherein for a meter of cable movement at the drive pulley the elevator car or the counterweight moves vertically by a quarter of a meter.
Elevator equipment also is shown in the PCT published specification WO 03/010081 in which the drive unit is supported on a guide rail of the elevator car, on a guide rail of the counterweight and on a support column. In addition, a cross member is provided which is supported at one end at the second guide rail of the counterweight and at the other end at the bracket of the drive unit. The one cable fixing point is arranged at the cross member. This type of equipment is an expensive and disadvantageous solution wherein the drive unit is supported on a support column.